March 8, 2008

With 96% reporting according to CNN.com, Obama wins the Wisconsin caucus 59% to 40%.

Not unexpected since Obama has been 12-3 over Clinton in caucuses before today’s vote. I do expect some blowback against Clinton’s negativity from the electorate going forward. All that said, this primary season is an odd animal. Clinton only does well from behind. She falters after any gain.

After this bit of news, I may sit out the general election if Clinton wins the Democratic nomination. Now that McCain is associating with the Bush 43 regime, including Karl Rove and Ken Mehlman, he’s damaged goods in my eye.

It’s no longer a slogan — a vote for Obama is truly a vote for a wholesale change in US politics. A necessary change.

March 4, 2008

Yeah, I’m a bad citizen. I did vote in the Democratic primary which allowed me to participate in the caucus going on right now. I opted against going to the caucus for a number of reasons (mostly household considerations), and I think I may be glad I did.

A friend just phoned from a caucus in Dallas. He described barely controlled pandemonium with a very, very large turnout and only five sign-up sheets provided for the unfortunates who are running the show at his location.

I’d read reports this thing was going to be a mess. Some locations weren’t aware they would be hosting caucuses as late as last week.

The way I look at it, states that always hold caucuses have organization problems. It was a safe bet this primary-plus-caucus in Texas was going to be far less than smooth.

If I hear more about tonight’s events I’ll be adding to this page rather than starting a new post.

My best guess is that more than 200 people were present. So many people were in attendance because Webb Elementary was hosting two precincts – my precinct, 2148,and our neighbor to the west, 2190.

It was a zoo. Everybody talked over everybody else. Precinct 2190 had a microphone, whereas 2148 had no voice augmentation.

It was difficult to hear a damned thing.

We had numbers from the day’s voting in the precinct, but no early voting numbers. Obama led Clinton by seven votes in 2148, but that was hardly represented in caucus goers. Obama folks outnumbered Clinton folks by two-to-one in my estimation.

The Obama campaign did a marvelous job mobilizing the base. I’ve never seen so many Democrats in one place.

There was a painful absence of leadership. No clear direction provided, it seemed rather like herding cats. By eight o’clock we had just begun the proces of signing in.

February 29, 2008

The Clinton campaign has turned into a mass of disorganization and back-biting. They agreed with the DNC to punish Florida and Michigan for moving their primaries up in the calendar, but now push to for those delegates since those votes have become vital for her essentially non-existent hopes.

Clinton has run the “ready to lead on day one” trope over and over, but her campaign has mismanaged a number of issues. She recently said her team has been thinking about Texas from the beginning. Evidence seems to expose her campaign had no planning after Super Tuesday where they thought she’d have the nomination wrapped up.

Clinton’s “ready to lead on day one” response to this lack of preparation? Threaten to sue and stop the caucus process.

From the linked article:

The Texas Democratic Party warned Thursday that election night caucuses scheduled for Tuesday could be delayed or disrupted after aides to Hillary Rodham Clinton threatened to sue over the party’s complicated delegate selection process.

In a letter sent out late Thursday to both the Clinton and Barack Obama campaigns, Texas Democratic Party lawyer Chad Dunn warned a lawsuit could ruin the Democrats’ effort to re-energize voters just as they are turning out in record numbers.

February 18, 2008

Get ready for another Tuesday of voting. Washington and Wisconsin are holding primaries for both the GOP and Democratic Party. Hawaii is having a Dem caucus.

Of course the state to watch is Wisconsin on the Dem side. Polls are running pretty close, with Obama holding a slight edge overall when I last checked. This vote is Clinton’s best hope to avoid a wipeout through post-Tsunami Tuesday February.

I don’t think it’ll happen, but he is making a case for veep. If McCain/Huckabee is the Republican ticket in November, Huckabee could be a drain on McCain’s independent votes.

Based on previous statements I’d say Huckabee is much better suited for a new cabinet post — Department of Christianist Law. He can go around upholding Biblical Law, not unlike those imposing Islamic Sharia around the world.

January 17, 2008

… the lawsuit seeking to disenfranchise Nevada caucus-goers. Well, technically the Nevada state teacher’s union lost the suit that sought to shut down caucus sites on the strip.

Since Obama was endorsed by the Culinary Workers Union, the representative of workers on the strip, Obama seems to gain by this lawsuit’s denial.

Leaders of the group filing the lawsuit have been associated with Hillary Clinton, and Bill’s angry reaction pretty much spells out the Clinton campaign’s stance on the suit.

Wasn’t Hillary, the candidate, so very worried about disenfranchising voters not that long ago?

Her campaign’s hardball tactics on this, and other issues, may end up doing more harm than good with the base. Particularly the Netroots crowd. They may want to see Rovian ruthlessness in a Dem vs GOP battle, but I doubt they are willing to endure intraparty slime